The new kid on the block is an old hand at fine dining
By SHAWN RODGERSQuattro restaurant(photo credit: PR)
In the culinary world of Tel Aviv, you have to be a giant to even perform, much less thrive. Chef Aviv Moshe’s new restaurant Quattro does the job and does it well.Upon entering this sister restaurant of Messa, you are met with a warm, elegant atmosphere that is not pretentious in the least.Designed by renowned architect Alex Meitlis, Quattro is open, airy and vibrant.Quattro’s menu is a combination of Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. The tasty dishes are complemented by the finest selection of local and international wines. Chef Moshe’s food is creative, with fresh, crisp flavors and magnificent presentation that makes each dish as much a delight to the eye as to the palate.I asked the wait staff to order for us and bring us a sample of the must-try dishes, along with some of their own favorites. We were the pleased recipients of an array of delicious and enticing selections.We started our meal with the pickled rump steak carpaccio with mustard sorbet, egg yolk cream, Parmesan and market vegetables (NIS 54). The thinly sliced steak was tender and bursting with flavor. The mustard sorbet was one of the most unique things I have ever tasted. Just when I thought it was going to be too spicy, it mellowed out and became sweet and refreshing. I highly recommend this dish.It was followed by the crudo bruschetta (NIS 54). It consisted of sea fish tartare served with beet bread, tomato raisins, balsamic caviar and ricotta. I was so mesmerized by the colors and the beauty of the dish that I almost didn’t want to spoil it by digging in. The tartare was one of the freshest I’ve had. I don’t know where they source their fish from, but the quality was exceptional.The flavorful fish was very tender and hardly required chewing.Next up was the truffle tortellini with mushroom duxelles, prefozola cheese and lemon zest (NIS 58).The pasta was heavenly and cooked to al dente perfection. The truffle flavor was just enough to boost the flavor of every part of the dish but not overwhelming. The sauce was perfection: subtly sweet, savory, and earthy. I ate slowly so I could savor every mouthful.Our last appetizer was the foie gras served with pumpkin ravioli, amerena zabione and salted peanuts (NIS 78). I was impressed with the creaminess and crisp texture of the seared foie gras.However, I was even more impressed with the ravioli because ravioli can tend to be heavy; however, this was one of the lightest I ever had. The peanuts and zabione added a salty sweetness component to the dish. It took an immense amount of willpower not to reach over and eat my girlfriend’s portion as well.For the main course, we were treated to chef Moshe’s famous lamb chops (NIS 198). Having already tried them at Messa, I knew we were in for a treat. Those lamb chops were the best I’d ever eaten.And I’ve eaten many a lamb chop.The lamb had a lovely crust from the searing process but was completely pink all the way through. As I cut into it, the meat fell apart on the knife and slowly melted on the tongue. The accompanying mustard cream and pea gremolata was delicious.This was followed by the openfaced veal cheek lasagna (NIS 98), which was a masterpiece of textures. I loved the fatty tender veal cheeks against the light and airy pasta and that all the otherwise rich flavors on the plate were tempered by the root cream and juniper broth. Aside from its being tasty, the most important thing for me was that the meat-topasta ratio was perfect. I am a lasagna enthusiast, and I will be going back there to show friends what high-quality lasagna is.For dessert, we chose the garden (NIS 56), which is a chocolate lover’s dream. It consisted of nougat cream, chocolate mousse, caramel “rocks,” pistachio ice cream and almond cream pastry. I enjoy anything chocolate, so I’m pretty much biased on this part. It was followed by the pina colada (NIS 62), which consisted of pineapple cremeux, pina colada ice cream, coconut ganache and pineapple sorbet. After just one bite of this cool and refreshing dessert, I imagined myself lounging on a white sandy tropical beach.Many of the other desserts we observed across the room also looked very tasty. We decided that the only solution is to return just to indulge in everything on the dessert menu.I appreciate food that tastes great but also food that is presented well and is prepared in an innovative way. Quattro definitely exceeded my expectations in all departments.The writer was a guest of the restaurant.QuattroNot kosher21 Ha’arba’a Street, Tel Aviv (Platinum Tower, upper terrace)Tel: (03) 919-1555
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